HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05221990 - 1.88 ccntra
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
y- = Costa
FROM: Harvey- E. Bragdon kx CC�.,lfl�l
Director of Community Development
DATE: May 22 , 1990
SUBJECT: Performance Report on Comprehensive Homeless Assistance Plan (CHAP)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
l
Authorize the Director of Community Development to transmit the
1990 CHAP Performance Report to the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) as mandated for seeking funds to aid the
homeless under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
On July 22 , 1987 the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act
(P.L. 100-77 ) was signed into law to provide urgently needed
assistance for the homeless population, particularly the elderly,
handicapped and families with children. The Act is a complex piece
of legislation which imposed many time constraints upon its
implementation, but offered a variety of new program resources as
well as new responsibilities for local governments dealing with the
homeless. These programs include the Emergency Shelter Grant
Program, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing for the
Handicapped, Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the
Homeless, and Section 8 Single Room Occupancy Moderate
Rehabilitation Program. Congress specified that all states,
cities, and urban counties eligible for a direct grant under the
Emergency Shelter Grant Program must have a CHAP approved by the
Secretary of HUD in order to be eligible for HUD administered
assistance.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNA 41a
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECO OF 130,RD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S) :
ACTION OF BOARD ON MAY22 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT TRIS IS A
1/ UNANIMOUS (ABSENT r ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: Community Development ATTESTED MAY 2 2 199a
County Administrators Office PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY DEPUTY
JA/hs
cja2/chap.bos
�# f ;
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendment Act of 1988 ,
signed into law on November 11, 1988, required annual submissions
of the CHAP' s as well as annual Performance Reports on the CHAP' s.
The County' s 1989 CHAP was approved by HUD on February 16, 1989.
The 1990 CHAP will be due in July of this year.
The County is required to submit by May 31 its second annual
Performance Report to HUD to cover the one year period from May 1,
1989 through April 30, 1990. Specifically, the Performance Report
must provide a summary of the County' s performance concerning
assessments and strategies outlined in the CHAP, including:
1. The efforts used to match the needs of the homeless with
avaialble facilities and services.
2. The efforts made to meet the special needs of certain
homeless groups such as families with children, the
elderly, the mentally ill and veterans.
3. Evaluation of federal assistance through the following
programs which complemented and enhanced the available
facilities and services:
Emergency Shelter Grants Program;
Transitional Housing;
Permanent Housing for the Handicapped;
- Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the
Homeless; and
Section 8 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Moderate
Rehabilitation Program.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Receipt of the CHAP Performance Report by HUD entitles the County
to financial assistance under Title IV of the Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act under new homeless shelter programs, such
as the Emergency Shelter Grant Program, not otherwise available to
a jurisdiction lacking the requisite reports. It will make
available other sources of Federal funds including those identified
in the preceding paragraphs. No immediate commitment of general
fund monies is required for submitting the CHAP performance report
although any future grant awards may necessitate provision of
matching funds by the County.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
1989 COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PLAN (CHAP) PERFORMANCE REPORT
(May 1, 1989 - April 30, 1990)
Introduction
Since Contra Costa County's second Comprehensive Homeless Assistance Plan (CHAP)
Performance Report was submitted to HUD in May of 1989, the various agencies,
local jurisdictions, non-profits, religious organizations, and homeless
advocates providing homeless shelter and services have made substantial progress
in identifying homeless needs, linking public and private homeless services and
shelter providers, and establishing new programs and facilities. This report
will summarize the progress made in the County in addressing the needs of
homeless populations over the last year, in terms of accomplishments in new
projects and programs in operation and proposed programs or projects. This
includes:
o coordination of facilities and services to the homeless;
o efforts to address special needs within the disparate homeless populations;
o effectiveness of federal assistance through the McKinney Act programs; and
o the effectiveness of a Job Training Demonstration project under the
Department of Labor.
Coordination of Facilities and Services for Homeless
The Community Homeless Action and Resource Team (CHART) established by the
County Board of Supervisors evolved into the Homeless Advisory Committee (HAC) ,
made up of representatives of homeless service providers, homeless persons; key
city departments, voluntary organizations, homeless advocates, businesses and
private individuals.
HAC functions as a goal-setting body charged with the responsibility for:
a. Defining, evaluating and quantifying the County' s homeless population;
b. Studying the causes of homelessness;
C. Recommending actions to alleviate the homeless condition;
.d. Identifying resources to reduce and potentially eliminate the causes of
homelessness;
e. Establishing a work plan to meet these goals; and
d. Working to implement the findings, recommendations, and work plan.
CHART and HAC have greatly improved communication and cooperation among agencies
serving the homeless, along with facilitating the development of long range
strategies to solve the homeless problem. On April 18, 1989, CHART presented a
report to the County Board of Supervisors as an update to a July 14, 1987 report
on the homeless situation in the County. The report recognized that the single
greatest factor contributing to the homeless problem is the lack of decent and
safe housing affordable to lower income families and individuals in the County
and that efforts to address the need for permanent affordable housing are a
critical piece of the homeless assistance package. . `The report included
recommendations to the County and Contra Costa cities, which include:
1
o affordable housing polices and plans within Housing Elements, Housing
Assistance Plans, Comprehensive Housing Assistance plans, and local
ordinances to preserve, rehabilitate, and develop affordable housing;
o lobbying for increased federal and state funding for new housing production
and rental assistance programs;
o actions to address the potential loss of existing low income rental units;
o development of local Affordable Housing Trust Funds;
o coordination and expansion of rental assistance programs for homeless or
potentially homeless in need of move-in costs, rental arrears payments, or
mortgage default prevention assistance;
o development of housing with support services for homeless families and
special need populations;
o expansion of shared housing programs;
o preservation and. development of Single Room Occupancy Hotels; and
o legislative advocacy for affordable housing policy and funding.
The Office on Homelessness is a central office for homeless concerns and
operates Hands Net, a computer homeless information network. Additional Office
of Homelessness activities involve both indirect and direct supportive services
ranging from- the coordination of volunteer labor, shelter information and
referral , food and medical care providers, management and administration of the
revolving loan fund, and fiscal planning for future homeless service programs.
Homeless shelter and program providers have formed a network and have been
funded by Northern California Grantermakers to do coalition building.
Although these providers perform distinct but interrelated services, their
primary objectives are similar - to achieve an integrated approach for remedying
the problems confronting the County's homeless population. The Office is
attempting to expand the use of HandsNet locally to improve legislative advocacy
and information exchange and provide direct access among nonprofit and public
agency networks. But despite the existence of both general and specific
services and facilities for the homeless, there are still many system
deficiencies which could be addressed given additional levels of funding.
The County' s Department of Social Services has reinstituted an after hours hot
line to connect homeless with available emergency shelter which has greatly
improved the availability of shelter for homeless. They have also developed a
network of 27 motels which accept homeless, primarily families, with motel
vouchers.
2
Special Needs
The following describes the efforts which had been successful in providing new
programs or shelter for the various homeless populations, as well as efforts in"
the planning or developmentstages.
o Families with .Children
Emergency assistance for food and shelter has been available through
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which is disbursed to a number
of local non-profit service agencies. Community Development Block Grants,
local foundations such as San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing and
Northern California. Grantmakers, the state Emergency Shelter Program, the
state Rental Deposit Guarantee Program and private donations also provide
additional funding. However, the demand for these funds far exceeds the
supply. In addition, the programs have a confusing array of eligibility
and disbursement constraints imposed by different funding sources.
Additional funds are available for AFDC families through the state-funded
Emergency Housing Assistance Program operated by the County Department of
Social Services.
A local nonprofit, Shelter Inc. reports that 65 families were assisted
through their Revolving Loan Program, 11 families through their Rental
Deposit Guarantee Program, 31 families through FEMA funds and 178 families
through the PG&E assistance program during the last year.
The Pittsburg Family Center, operated by Shelter Inc. , has opened and
provides 7 units of transitional housing for homeless families, along with
support services. ,The Young Mothers Project, a supportive residential
program for young single mothers (18-30 years of age) with a child, has
closed one home due to inability to obtain land use approval from ,the City
of Hercules. This project currently provides shelter for 3 families. The
County Social Services Department has a motel voucher program which
provides shelter for families in local motels for a limited amount of time.
A number of additional transitional facilities for families are also being
developed. The Battered Women's Alternatives proposed project to provide
14 units of housing for battered women and their children has received. HUD
Transitional Housing Program funds, as well as County, Concord, and Walnut
Creek CDBG funds. It will be ready for occupancy by the summer of 1990.
Another Shelter Inc. project anticipated to provide approximately 20 units
of transitional housing in Concord for homeless families, along with
support services, has lost site control . Christian Believers also is
acquiring a facility in- West County which -will provide 5 units of
transitional housing for families and singles. Rubicon is rehabilitating a
4 unit building for homeless singles and families. The county has approved
and committed funds for a 40 bed transitional facility for women and
children.
3
o Single Men and Women
The emergency assistance for food and shelter mentioned above is also
available for singles with the exception of the assistance for AFDC
families. Again, insufficient funds are available to meet the demand.
The County Departments of Social Services and Community Services are
developing a 64 bed modular shelter facility for single adults in an
unincorporated area of West County which has been funded out of 1990 FESG
and County CDBG funds. Rubicon is rehabilitating a 4 unit permanent
housing project for homeless singles and families in Richmond which may be
funded through State Proposition 77 funds and City of Richmond
rehabilitation funds. They have also applied for HUD SAFAH funds for a
money management and substance abuse management program in West County.
The County has provided emergency shelter for the past three winters
through the National Guard Armories. Last winter, the Richmond Armory,
operated by Volunteers of America, provided overnight shelter for a maximum
per night of 100 single men and women for 4 months, or• a total of 26,366
person rights. The Concord Armory, operated by St. Vincent de Paul ,
provided overnight shelter for up to 100 individuals per night for a 4 ,
month period. While these programs were severely limited by constraints
imposed by the National Guard, the armory programs were able to link up
homeless with various service providers on-site.
After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain land use approvals within the
West County, Volunteers of America (VOA) provided shelter designed to house
36 people in self contained mobile units (funded, in part, through FEMA) .
This facility closed concurrent with the opening of the Armory programs,
due to physical problems with the mobile units. In an unincorporated area
of Central County, VOA obtained land use approvals for a 54 bed facility
for single men and women, but was stalled by litigation from the City of
Martinez and a neighborhood organization. In addition, Christian Believers
will have a singles component in their new facility for 6 individuals.
o Run-Away or Throw-Away Youth
The County's Department 'of Health services is planning a residential
facility for youth with drug and alcohol problems and will be applying for
federal alcohol and drug treatment funds.
o Elderly/Disabled
Local efforts are currently underway to acquire and rehabilitate a 75 unit
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel in Central County. The timing of the
site availability prohibited application for the 1989 SRO Mod. Rehab.
Program funds. Another proposed SRO rehabilitation project has been
abandoned due to inability to obtain site control .
Two local housing services agencies have instituted shared housing
programs, in coordination with the Social Services Dept. to link up seniors
4
and disabled in under-utilized housing with others in need of living space.
This program can provide very low cost housing while providing assistance
to the homeowner in the form of rent or chores. This can make the
difference between independence and institutionalization for many seniors.
The Housing Alliance has placed people through their shared Housing Program
since beginning operations in July 1989. The Independent Living Resources'
program for handicapped populations has placed over 100 people in their
first year of operation of their shared housing program. The same agency
also has an attendant program through which they have hired 35 homeless
individuals to live with a disabled person and provide homecare.
o Victims of Domestic Violence
The Battered Women's Alternatives (BWA) shelter will expand the number of
shelter beds for battered women and their children to 25 through a state
Emergency Shelter Program grant to expand their facility. In addition,
their proposed transitional facility mentioned above will allow their
clients the time to locate jobs, housing, etc. so that they are not forced
to return to battering situations.. BWA also received a Women's Equality
Act grant for new program to assist women in entering non-traditional jobs.
o Mentally Disabled
Housing for Independent People (HIP) has acquired a 7 unit site in
Pittsburg for mentally disabled adults, with a mix of permanent and
transitional units. HIP has also acquired a home for a 6 bed residential
care facility for the mentally handicapped.
HIP also received a •HUD Section 202 allocation for a 15 unit project for
the .mentally disabled in Danville, including 14 apartments and the one
group home.
Phoenix Programs is participating in a pooled bond issue to fund a new
facility. .
The County's Alcohol/Drug Abuse/Mental Health Division of Health Services
is developing a Special User Housing Plan to develop permanent housing with
supportive services for its client populations. SRO housing may be an
ideal form of low cost housing for this population with appropriate
services.
o Recovering Alcohol and Substance Abusers
A substance abuse recovery facility for men has increased its total
capacity from 15 to 19 through funding provided by the County Health
Services Department. Health Services has also funded another 10 beds
within existing substance abuse recovery facilities to be available to
county indigents.
5
Tri-County Women's Recovery Services successfully acquired their facility
providing transitional alcohol recovery services and housing for 15 women
and children in March, 1990 through County CDBG and foundation funds.
The County Department of Health Services is also planning a 10-20 bed
facility for adults with alcohol and drug problems to be funded out of War
on Drug funds. A limitation placed on this funding, however, requires that
50% of the funds serve intraveneous drug users. With changing drug use,
these funding restrictions no longer reflect the primary need for drug
services which is to address "crack" dependencies, not "i .v." drug use.
Bi-Bett is also participating in a pooled bond issue for the development of
health facilities.
o Veterans
In addition to providing assistance at two Veteran's Resource Centers, the
County Veterans Services Department provided outreach to homeless veterans
regarding Veteran's Administration benefits and referrals for drug/alcohol
recovery programs at the two Winter Relief Shelters. Surveys of the Armory
populations indicate that 20 to 27% were veterans.
Federal Assistance Under the McKinney Act
. o Emergency Shelter Grant Program
In 1989, the County disbursed its Emergency Shelter Grant funds to five
local non-profits providing;
o staff costs for a part-time substance abuse coordinator to complement
a Jobs Training Program through Rubicon;
0 operating expenses for an emergency shelter and drop-in center for
mentally disabled adults operated by Phoenix Programs;
o equipment for a drop-in homeless center operated by Volunteers of
America;
o equipment for the Battered Women's Alternatives Emergency Shelter; and
o rent for a residential facility for young single mothers and their
children.
In 1990, the County allocated $72,000 of ESG funds for the proposed modular
facility for single homeless adults.
Because of the 20% cap- on use of ESG funds for social services, these funds
are used primarily to provide supplemental operating expenses. Yet because
of a similar 15% cap on social services expenditures of Community
Development Block Grant funds, social service agencies which serve the
homeless and disabled have unmet needs for administrative costs. Removal
6
of the 20% cap on social services would allow these funds to better serve
local needs. As it is, ESG funds have provided critical funds for
operating expenses, equipment, and rehabilitation of existing emergency
shelter facilities.
o Transitional Housing Program
Federal Transitional Housing funds have provided the necessary up-front
capital for acquisition and rehabilitation costs, along with the essential
on-going costs of providing support services which enables the homeless to
transition into self sufficiency. Local and state funds have not been
adequate to develop transitional housing without additional federal
assistance.
The Pittsburg Family Center, with 7 transitional units also received
Transitional Housing funds. The $100,750 for hard costs made possible the
acquisition and rehabilitation of the site, along with providing essential
operating funds for continued success of the program. The total funding
package included County CDBG, County Housing Bond Trust Fund, private
sector funds, and client revenue.
Rubicon opened its 10 unit San Joaquin Apts. transitional housing facility
for the mentally disabled in May, 1989. This project was made possible
with Transitional Housing funds for hard costs and continued operating
expenses.
The Battered Women's Alternatives Transitional proposed project has been
funded with a combination of federal Transitional Housing Program funds
along with private .donations and County, Walnut Creek, and Concord CDBG
funds.
o Permanent Housing for Handicapped .Homeless
Housing for Independent People' s 7 unit project for mentally disabled,
which is a mix of transitional and permanent units, has been funded by
Section 8 certificates, County CDBG funds, the state Special User Housing
Rehabilitation Program, a, private lender, City of Pittsburg, and federal
Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless funds.
o Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the Homeless (SAFAH)
There continues to be a need for funding for innovative efforts to assist
the homeless to achieve self sufficiency through support services. Two
proposals have been submitted in 1990 for SAFAH funding - one for a money
management and substance abuse management program in West County. The
second proposal is to provide additional rehabilitation funds for various
shelter proposals along with a new HOMETEAM approach to provide a whole
gament of support services to the homeless on site at various homeless
shelter facilities through a mobile team.
o Section 8 Single Room Occupancy Moderate Rehabilitation Program
7
Several agencies have been exploring the possibility of acquiring and
developing SRO properties. HIP has acquired a 75 unit SRO in Martinez to
be rehabilitated for low income seniors. SRO development has been
identified as a priority by CHART as a long term solution to the problem of
homelessness.
Job Training Demonstration Project
A local non-profit corporation, Rubicon, received a second one year
demonstration grant to provide job training to the homeless in West County. The
project has been very successful in providing on-site services at emergency
shelters in coordination with Department of Social Services and the State
Employment Development Department. Out of over 547 homeless screened, 111
people enrolled in training and 40 clients have been employed. An alcohol/drug
recovery specialist funded through the Emergency Shelter Grant Program in 1989
provided a complementary component to the Job Training project.
JA:vpl
hsg elmnt/89chap.frm
8
Contra Costa County Homeless Shelter Facilities
(as of May, 1990)
with Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Nyumba Chuki (Richmond) 9
Casa Cecilio Chi (San Pablo) 6
Nierika House (Concord) 9
Community Living (Concord) 11
Phoenix Shelter (Antioch) 20
Rubicon Transitional Apts
(Richmond) . 12
Rubicon Homes (Richmond 10
Rubicon Apts (Richmond) 14
Subtotals 51 20 20
Alcohol/Substance Abuse
Holloman House Detox (Richmond) 20
Holloman - Transitional (Richmond) 17
Sunrise Transitional (Concord) 36
Shennum Center Detox (Concord) 20
Rectory Transitional (San Pablo) 15
Ozanan Transition (Concord) 17
Diablo Valley (Clayton) 58
Discovery I (Martinez) 19
Discovery II (Martinez) 21
Gregory Center. (Concord) 12
New Dawn-Transitional- 6
(Richmond)
Subtotals 58 183 0
AIDS Victims
Metta Vhara (Richmond) 6
Battered Women
Battered Women Shelter
(undisclosed location - 25 beds) (25)
Families
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) 238
VOA Transitional (Richmond)
12 Apartment Units 36
Young Mothers Facility (Hercules) 6
15th Street I (Richmond) 24
Shiloh Transitional (Richmond) 15
Radiant Life (Pittsburg) 6
Subtotals 319 0 6
Homeless Population West Central East
Singles - Men
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) (238)
Christian Believers (Richmond) 9
Christian Believers Hotel 29
VOA (Richmond) Transitional (36)
Singles - Women
VOA Transitional (Richmond) (36)
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) (238)
Christian Believers (Richmond) . 9
Christian Believers Hotel (29)
*
Subtotals 47 0 0
Regional Totals 489 212 34
Countywide Total = 735 beds
( ) ' s = beds listed more than once; duplicates are not included in the total .
* Includes 238 bedspaces also included in subtotal for family shelter.
** The 25 Battered Women Shelter beds were evenly allocated to the 3 regions in
the regional totals since the location is undisclosed.
cd13/nofbeds.tab
2
Proposed Contra Costa 'County Homeless Shelter Facilities
(as of May, 1990)
with .Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Housing for Independent People
(Pittsburg) .14
(Concord) 6
HIP (Danville) 32
Rubicon (Richmond) 8
Alcohol/Substance Abuse
Discovery House 10
(Martinez)
Battered Women & Children
Transitional facility 16 units 32-48
Families
Christian Believers (Richmond) 15
Shell Ave. (Uninc. Martinez) 40
Singles - Men & Women
Modular Shelter Program (N. Rchmd. ) 64
Christian Believers
- Richmond 6
Regional Totals 133 . 80-96 14
Countywide Total = 227-243
cd13/nofbeds.tab
3
v
New Contra Costa County Homeless Shelter Facilities
(May 1989 - April 1990)
with Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Rubicon - San Joaquin Apts. 10
(Richmond)
Families
Pittsburg Family Center 24
(Pittsburg)
Singles
Regional Totals 10 0 24
Countywide Total = 34
cd13/nofbeds.tab
4